Substance Abuse Counselor

Substance Abuse Counselor

Katina M. Brown

HHS 497: Health and Human Services Capstone

Debra Booker

June 6, 2011

Substance abuse is a prevalent and persistent issue within many families and communities. People who have substance abuse problems and want to get help will need the assistance of a substance abuse counselor. A substance abuse counselor is an individual who counsels a person who is suffering from the problem of drug or alcohol addiction. The counselor will not only be able to assist the person with maintaining their sobriety, but they will also be able to help the person’s family with the recovery of their loved one or family member. In order to help the client as well as the family members vital to the client’s long term sobriety, the substance abuse counselor needs intensive and thorough training.

In order to become an effective and successful substance abuse counselor, a person must first have a strong desire to help people. This quality is helpful because a career as a substance abuse counselor is very difficult. It is a very challenging profession and if one is not prepared for the intensity of the job, it can cause burnout very quickly.

A substance abuse counselor must not only help the client overcome a dependency on drugs and alcohol. He or she must also be able to treat the reason the person was abusing the substance in the first place. Therefore, becoming a substance abuse counselor also takes many years of formal education. Most hospitals and treatment centers require that a counselor have a Bachelor’s degree in counseling or a relevant human services field. In addition to the degree, the person must also obtain a license. Licensures vary by state. According to the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board, in order to obtain licensure the applicant must first complete 300 hours of supervised practical training. After completing this internship and passing a written exam, a substance abuse...